Eng. Anke Weisheit | Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by Eng. Anke Weisheit

Infectious Diseases: Research and Treatment, 2020

Introduction:Phytolacca dodecandra L’Hér. is a native plant of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar ... more Introduction:Phytolacca dodecandra L’Hér. is a native plant of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar which is traditionally used for various ailments. Concerned with the scope of the available evidence, we designed a scoping review to critically analyze scientific evidence on P dodecandra’s pharmacology, toxicity, and phytochemistry to validate its ethnomedical use.Methods:We searched without language restriction in MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science through December 2019. Both published and unpublished articles were assessed for relevance and reviewed.Results:Of 600 articles retrieved through database search, a total of 48 articles were finally included. The butanol extract of berries was more potent molluscicidal than aqueous extract. The berries had also miracidial, anthelmintic, antifungal activity, and antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella spp. The methanol extracts of roots had an antif...

This paper describes the rationale and approaches used to establish an Institute of Indigenous Kn... more This paper describes the rationale and approaches used to establish an Institute of Indigenous Knowledge in Uganda. The process involved a four year process including internship with local herbalists in Uganda.

Scientific African, Sep 1, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Abstract Osteoarthritis remains a challenge in most parts of the world most particularly consider... more Abstract Osteoarthritis remains a challenge in most parts of the world most particularly considering that one of the influencing factors, aging, cannot be avoided. Glucosamine and chondroitin have been used against the disorder for many years and have a huge market base in Europe and the United States where they are generally marketed as sulfates. Research shows that they are effective options against the disease at various levels, in vivo and clinical trials, but a better clinical position is required from more research as well as by using analogs of their chemical structures.

Frontiers in Pharmacology, Oct 27, 2021

Several studies have been conducted and published on medicinal plants used to manage Diabetes Mel... more Several studies have been conducted and published on medicinal plants used to manage Diabetes Mellitus worldwide. It is of great interest to review available studies from a country or a region to resort to similarities/discrepancies and data quality. Here, we examined data related to ethnopharmacology and bioactivity of antidiabetic plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were extracted from Google Scholar, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, the Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, and other documents focusing on ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, and phytochemistry antidiabetic plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2005 to September 2021. The Kew Botanic Royal Garden and Plants of the World Online web databases were consulted to verify the taxonomic information. CAMARADES checklist was used to assess the quality of animal studies and Jadad scores for clinical trials. In total, 213 plant species belonging to 72 botanical families were reported. Only one plant, Droogmansia munamensis, is typically native to the DRC flora; 117 species are growing in the DRC and neighboring countries; 31 species are either introduced from other regions, and 64 are not specified. Alongside the treatment of Diabetes, about 78.13% of plants have multiple therapeutic uses, depending on the study sites. Experimental studies explored the antidiabetic activity of 133 plants, mainly in mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Several chemical classes of antidiabetic compounds isolated from 67 plant species have been documented. Rare phase II clinical trials have been conducted. Critical issues included poor quality methodological protocols,

Ethnobotany Research and Applications

The youth run the risk of them also contributing to climate change and failing to mitigate it, ju... more The youth run the risk of them also contributing to climate change and failing to mitigate it, just as past generations have been doing. In order for the youth to actively and meaningful participate and influence development into the direction of climate resilient development it is important that they understand these issues and the challenges to their achievement. Given this scenario, there is need to allow the youth to actively participate in addressing the climate change problems, not as victims but more importantly as solution providers. It is in this context that the African youth should be recognised (not only on paper) as an age group with a lot of potential in addressing the climate change problem which spans within and across generations. Besides the enormous challenges that the youth face, the youth can meaningfully contribute towards a climate resilient development, provided an enabling environment is created.

TMR Integrative Medicine

Different parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. (A. vulgaris) are ethno-medicinally used as an emmenagog... more Different parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. (A. vulgaris) are ethno-medicinally used as an emmenagogue and for the treatment of ailments such as malaria fever, ulcers, and cancer. However, anecdotal evidence shows that the plant is often substituted for Artemisia annua L. (A. annua) by herbalists in Western Uganda due to similarities in their morphology. Misidentification of medicinal plants and mislabelling of herbal products have been incriminated in toxicity and adverse health outcomes in traditional medicine practise. Because safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies, it becomes imperative therefore that medicinal plants should be correctly identified. This study focused on investigating the macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical characteristics and phytochemical composition of A. vulgaris leaves compared to A. annua to ease its correct identification. The results showed that there are some colour differences between the leaves of the two species, with a close arrangement of microscopic features but different leaf constants. The leaves of the two Artemisia species had similar tastes, but their shapes and colours (greenish-yellow for A. annua and dark green for A. vulgaris) can be used by the local community to distinguish between them. The artemisinin content was higher in A. vulgaris leaves (1.72 %) than in A. annua (1.43%), but the reverse was observed for the total flavonoid content. This observation could justify the change in the use of A. vulgaris by the indigenous community in western Uganda. Further studies should consider the pharmacognostic comparison of A. annua with other species in the genus Artemisia and the use of molecular techniques such as DNA barcoding.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Apr 13, 2022

Introduction. e Uganda National Drug Authority requires phytochemical screening, freedom from mic... more Introduction. e Uganda National Drug Authority requires phytochemical screening, freedom from microbial contamination, and evidence of safety and efficacy of the constituent plants to register herbal products. Since Uganda has no pharmacopeia, safety, efficacy, and plant processing information are not readily available. We documented the plant materials used to manufacture products in Uganda and established evidence of their safety and efficacy and availability of monographs. Methods. e NDA register of herbal products was reviewed, and a product list was extracted. e herbal products were purchased from local pharmacies, and their labels were studied to identify plant ingredients and drug use. Literature was reviewed to document evidence of the safety and efficacy of the plant materials concerning manufacturer's claims. Also, the WHO and available African Pharmacopeia were searched to establish the availability of the plant monographs. Results. Of the 84 NDA-registered local products, only 18 were obtained from the market; 82% were indicated for respiratory tract disorders. irty-three plant materials were listed with Eucalyptus globulus Labill, being the commonest. Several in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate efficacy, thus supporting the use of the selected plant species for empirical treatment as stated on the product label. While most plants were safe, some species such as Albizia coriaria Oliv. had dose-dependent toxicities that cannot be predicted in combinations. e WHO, African Pharmacopoeia, and West African Herbal Pharmacopoeia had only 16 plant monographs of the 33 plants of interest. Nevertheless, Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Azadirachta indica A.Juss., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, and Allium sativum L. monographs were published by all three pharmacopoeias. Conclusions. Preclinical evidence of safety and efficacy exists in the literature for most of the plants used to manufacture registered herbal products in Uganda. More specific bioassays and clinical trials are required for the products to provide conclusive evidence of safety and toxicity. Monographs are urgently needed for the Ugandan plants.

Journal of Drug Research and Development, 2019

Potential drug molecular leads from plants are usually tested for their efficacy in bioactivity a... more Potential drug molecular leads from plants are usually tested for their efficacy in bioactivity assays in preclinical trials. This is followed by testing for the properties of the molecular structures, if they can be bio-available to biological targets, should they proceed to clinical trials. Most drug molecules with proven bioactivities fail to qualify as potential drug candidates due to their poor molecular drug-like properties. It is therefore imperative for drug developers and discoverers to start focusing on the molecular structural properties at an early stage to decide whether the particular drug molecule, with bioactivity, is worthy investing on. This review aims at putting together and discussing fundamental methods for selected drug-like properties; permeability, pK a , LogP and LogD x. It was noted that basic methods on the aforementioned procedures are being customized for simplicity and convenience, mainly in the form of commercial in silico innovations. There is a need for cheaper methods to be developed to ease budgetary constraints on drug discovery and designing. This report will provide pointers to choose appropriate methods in drug designing and development, making the whole process more convenient and relatively cheaper for researchers, students and research funding bodies. Due to technical variations that each method has, reporting of results on these properties should be reported along with specific methods and conditions used.

Coronavirus Drug Discovery

East Africa Science

Background: Schkuhria pinnata L., is an antimalarial plant that is highly threatened by the destr... more Background: Schkuhria pinnata L., is an antimalarial plant that is highly threatened by the destructive harvesting methods and its collection largely relies on wild sources, that are also exposed to over-exploitation and habitat destruction. Aim of the study: The study aimed at figuring out where S. pinnata grows best and what its growth requirements are; in order to promote the informed cultivation practices and soil selection as a viable alternative to wild harvesting. The agronomical soil nutrient status of S. pinnata, and how it relates to the agro-morphological traits and plant ionome, clues on fertiliser formulations for soils where S. pinnata does not shrive were reported. Methods: A randomised complete block design was employed in agronomical experimental plots in different agro-ecological zones that host Bushenyi, Ntungamo and Kasese districts. Standard procedures for soil and plant analysis were used to analyse soil physicochemical and plant ionome parameters while agro-mo...

African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2020

The menace of current cases of parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs, non-availability and ac... more The menace of current cases of parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs, non-availability and accessibility, and the high costs of pharmaceutical products contribute to the high rate of medicinal plants consumption in the treatment of malaria in Uganda. Different ethnobotanical surveys on medicinal plants with antimalarial properties have been conducted across different geographical regions in Uganda in order to identify and select the most commonly used antimalarial plants as candidates in the proposed national herbal pharmacopoeia. The available literature on the medicinal plants used against malaria in the western, central, eastern and northern geographical regions in Uganda was selected from reputable journals using various citation databases as guides. The commonly used antimalarial plants in the regions were searched using relevant journals on previously established ethno-botanical survey. They were then ranked in order of percentage frequency of appearance in the literature from surveys across the country. Fifteen medicinal plants were selected in this way from several antimalarial plants cited. Vernonia amygdalina and Azadirachta indica appeared most (100%), followed by Carica papaya, Mangifera indica and Hoslundia opposita with 80% appearance each across the 4 regions.The medicinal plants from this review were therefore ranked as the most used for treatment of malaria in Uganda and therefore, could be recommended for herbal pharmacopoeial standards development.

East Africa Science, 2020

Malaria remains one of the most common infectious diseases in the sub-Sahara African countries an... more Malaria remains one of the most common infectious diseases in the sub-Sahara African countries and other developing countries. Among the medicinal plants used in the endemic countries for the treatment of malaria is Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. due to its availability, accessibility, and traditional use. This study therefore reviewed the ethnomedicinal use, pharmacology, and the chemistry of Aristolochia bracteolata. Different electronic databases such as Medline/Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to identify all published articles on Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. Key search words included ethnopharmacological use, pharmacological and phytochemical parameters of A. bracteolata. Retrieved articles were reviewed and synthesized. In addition, the reference list of retrieved articles was reviewed and articles which were not retrieved by previous search were hand searched. The review included original research articles that has investigated Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. of any study design. Only published original articles, any languages, any time of publish, and grey literature (Conference paper, theses both PhD. and Msc. technical report) were included. Those articles with full text not available, those without information of interest, e.g ethnopharmacology, pharmacology and phytochemistry of A. bracteolata were excluded. Despite having multiple use, the plant is mainly used in the treatment of malaria with a reported antiplasmodial activity. Aristolochic acids (AAs) were reported as the major and active ingredient among other components in the plant. The review revealed that A. bracteolata has various traditional use with promising pharmacological activity. However, information on its safety is limited.

Infectious Diseases: Research and Treatment, 2020

Introduction:Phytolacca dodecandra L’Hér. is a native plant of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar ... more Introduction:Phytolacca dodecandra L’Hér. is a native plant of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar which is traditionally used for various ailments. Concerned with the scope of the available evidence, we designed a scoping review to critically analyze scientific evidence on P dodecandra’s pharmacology, toxicity, and phytochemistry to validate its ethnomedical use.Methods:We searched without language restriction in MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science through December 2019. Both published and unpublished articles were assessed for relevance and reviewed.Results:Of 600 articles retrieved through database search, a total of 48 articles were finally included. The butanol extract of berries was more potent molluscicidal than aqueous extract. The berries had also miracidial, anthelmintic, antifungal activity, and antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella spp. The methanol extracts of roots had an antif...

This paper describes the rationale and approaches used to establish an Institute of Indigenous Kn... more This paper describes the rationale and approaches used to establish an Institute of Indigenous Knowledge in Uganda. The process involved a four year process including internship with local herbalists in Uganda.

Scientific African, Sep 1, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Abstract Osteoarthritis remains a challenge in most parts of the world most particularly consider... more Abstract Osteoarthritis remains a challenge in most parts of the world most particularly considering that one of the influencing factors, aging, cannot be avoided. Glucosamine and chondroitin have been used against the disorder for many years and have a huge market base in Europe and the United States where they are generally marketed as sulfates. Research shows that they are effective options against the disease at various levels, in vivo and clinical trials, but a better clinical position is required from more research as well as by using analogs of their chemical structures.

Frontiers in Pharmacology, Oct 27, 2021

Several studies have been conducted and published on medicinal plants used to manage Diabetes Mel... more Several studies have been conducted and published on medicinal plants used to manage Diabetes Mellitus worldwide. It is of great interest to review available studies from a country or a region to resort to similarities/discrepancies and data quality. Here, we examined data related to ethnopharmacology and bioactivity of antidiabetic plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were extracted from Google Scholar, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, the Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, and other documents focusing on ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, and phytochemistry antidiabetic plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2005 to September 2021. The Kew Botanic Royal Garden and Plants of the World Online web databases were consulted to verify the taxonomic information. CAMARADES checklist was used to assess the quality of animal studies and Jadad scores for clinical trials. In total, 213 plant species belonging to 72 botanical families were reported. Only one plant, Droogmansia munamensis, is typically native to the DRC flora; 117 species are growing in the DRC and neighboring countries; 31 species are either introduced from other regions, and 64 are not specified. Alongside the treatment of Diabetes, about 78.13% of plants have multiple therapeutic uses, depending on the study sites. Experimental studies explored the antidiabetic activity of 133 plants, mainly in mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Several chemical classes of antidiabetic compounds isolated from 67 plant species have been documented. Rare phase II clinical trials have been conducted. Critical issues included poor quality methodological protocols,

Ethnobotany Research and Applications

The youth run the risk of them also contributing to climate change and failing to mitigate it, ju... more The youth run the risk of them also contributing to climate change and failing to mitigate it, just as past generations have been doing. In order for the youth to actively and meaningful participate and influence development into the direction of climate resilient development it is important that they understand these issues and the challenges to their achievement. Given this scenario, there is need to allow the youth to actively participate in addressing the climate change problems, not as victims but more importantly as solution providers. It is in this context that the African youth should be recognised (not only on paper) as an age group with a lot of potential in addressing the climate change problem which spans within and across generations. Besides the enormous challenges that the youth face, the youth can meaningfully contribute towards a climate resilient development, provided an enabling environment is created.

TMR Integrative Medicine

Different parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. (A. vulgaris) are ethno-medicinally used as an emmenagog... more Different parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. (A. vulgaris) are ethno-medicinally used as an emmenagogue and for the treatment of ailments such as malaria fever, ulcers, and cancer. However, anecdotal evidence shows that the plant is often substituted for Artemisia annua L. (A. annua) by herbalists in Western Uganda due to similarities in their morphology. Misidentification of medicinal plants and mislabelling of herbal products have been incriminated in toxicity and adverse health outcomes in traditional medicine practise. Because safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies, it becomes imperative therefore that medicinal plants should be correctly identified. This study focused on investigating the macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical characteristics and phytochemical composition of A. vulgaris leaves compared to A. annua to ease its correct identification. The results showed that there are some colour differences between the leaves of the two species, with a close arrangement of microscopic features but different leaf constants. The leaves of the two Artemisia species had similar tastes, but their shapes and colours (greenish-yellow for A. annua and dark green for A. vulgaris) can be used by the local community to distinguish between them. The artemisinin content was higher in A. vulgaris leaves (1.72 %) than in A. annua (1.43%), but the reverse was observed for the total flavonoid content. This observation could justify the change in the use of A. vulgaris by the indigenous community in western Uganda. Further studies should consider the pharmacognostic comparison of A. annua with other species in the genus Artemisia and the use of molecular techniques such as DNA barcoding.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Apr 13, 2022

Introduction. e Uganda National Drug Authority requires phytochemical screening, freedom from mic... more Introduction. e Uganda National Drug Authority requires phytochemical screening, freedom from microbial contamination, and evidence of safety and efficacy of the constituent plants to register herbal products. Since Uganda has no pharmacopeia, safety, efficacy, and plant processing information are not readily available. We documented the plant materials used to manufacture products in Uganda and established evidence of their safety and efficacy and availability of monographs. Methods. e NDA register of herbal products was reviewed, and a product list was extracted. e herbal products were purchased from local pharmacies, and their labels were studied to identify plant ingredients and drug use. Literature was reviewed to document evidence of the safety and efficacy of the plant materials concerning manufacturer's claims. Also, the WHO and available African Pharmacopeia were searched to establish the availability of the plant monographs. Results. Of the 84 NDA-registered local products, only 18 were obtained from the market; 82% were indicated for respiratory tract disorders. irty-three plant materials were listed with Eucalyptus globulus Labill, being the commonest. Several in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate efficacy, thus supporting the use of the selected plant species for empirical treatment as stated on the product label. While most plants were safe, some species such as Albizia coriaria Oliv. had dose-dependent toxicities that cannot be predicted in combinations. e WHO, African Pharmacopoeia, and West African Herbal Pharmacopoeia had only 16 plant monographs of the 33 plants of interest. Nevertheless, Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Azadirachta indica A.Juss., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, and Allium sativum L. monographs were published by all three pharmacopoeias. Conclusions. Preclinical evidence of safety and efficacy exists in the literature for most of the plants used to manufacture registered herbal products in Uganda. More specific bioassays and clinical trials are required for the products to provide conclusive evidence of safety and toxicity. Monographs are urgently needed for the Ugandan plants.

Journal of Drug Research and Development, 2019

Potential drug molecular leads from plants are usually tested for their efficacy in bioactivity a... more Potential drug molecular leads from plants are usually tested for their efficacy in bioactivity assays in preclinical trials. This is followed by testing for the properties of the molecular structures, if they can be bio-available to biological targets, should they proceed to clinical trials. Most drug molecules with proven bioactivities fail to qualify as potential drug candidates due to their poor molecular drug-like properties. It is therefore imperative for drug developers and discoverers to start focusing on the molecular structural properties at an early stage to decide whether the particular drug molecule, with bioactivity, is worthy investing on. This review aims at putting together and discussing fundamental methods for selected drug-like properties; permeability, pK a , LogP and LogD x. It was noted that basic methods on the aforementioned procedures are being customized for simplicity and convenience, mainly in the form of commercial in silico innovations. There is a need for cheaper methods to be developed to ease budgetary constraints on drug discovery and designing. This report will provide pointers to choose appropriate methods in drug designing and development, making the whole process more convenient and relatively cheaper for researchers, students and research funding bodies. Due to technical variations that each method has, reporting of results on these properties should be reported along with specific methods and conditions used.

Coronavirus Drug Discovery

East Africa Science

Background: Schkuhria pinnata L., is an antimalarial plant that is highly threatened by the destr... more Background: Schkuhria pinnata L., is an antimalarial plant that is highly threatened by the destructive harvesting methods and its collection largely relies on wild sources, that are also exposed to over-exploitation and habitat destruction. Aim of the study: The study aimed at figuring out where S. pinnata grows best and what its growth requirements are; in order to promote the informed cultivation practices and soil selection as a viable alternative to wild harvesting. The agronomical soil nutrient status of S. pinnata, and how it relates to the agro-morphological traits and plant ionome, clues on fertiliser formulations for soils where S. pinnata does not shrive were reported. Methods: A randomised complete block design was employed in agronomical experimental plots in different agro-ecological zones that host Bushenyi, Ntungamo and Kasese districts. Standard procedures for soil and plant analysis were used to analyse soil physicochemical and plant ionome parameters while agro-mo...

African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2020

The menace of current cases of parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs, non-availability and ac... more The menace of current cases of parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs, non-availability and accessibility, and the high costs of pharmaceutical products contribute to the high rate of medicinal plants consumption in the treatment of malaria in Uganda. Different ethnobotanical surveys on medicinal plants with antimalarial properties have been conducted across different geographical regions in Uganda in order to identify and select the most commonly used antimalarial plants as candidates in the proposed national herbal pharmacopoeia. The available literature on the medicinal plants used against malaria in the western, central, eastern and northern geographical regions in Uganda was selected from reputable journals using various citation databases as guides. The commonly used antimalarial plants in the regions were searched using relevant journals on previously established ethno-botanical survey. They were then ranked in order of percentage frequency of appearance in the literature from surveys across the country. Fifteen medicinal plants were selected in this way from several antimalarial plants cited. Vernonia amygdalina and Azadirachta indica appeared most (100%), followed by Carica papaya, Mangifera indica and Hoslundia opposita with 80% appearance each across the 4 regions.The medicinal plants from this review were therefore ranked as the most used for treatment of malaria in Uganda and therefore, could be recommended for herbal pharmacopoeial standards development.

East Africa Science, 2020

Malaria remains one of the most common infectious diseases in the sub-Sahara African countries an... more Malaria remains one of the most common infectious diseases in the sub-Sahara African countries and other developing countries. Among the medicinal plants used in the endemic countries for the treatment of malaria is Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. due to its availability, accessibility, and traditional use. This study therefore reviewed the ethnomedicinal use, pharmacology, and the chemistry of Aristolochia bracteolata. Different electronic databases such as Medline/Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to identify all published articles on Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. Key search words included ethnopharmacological use, pharmacological and phytochemical parameters of A. bracteolata. Retrieved articles were reviewed and synthesized. In addition, the reference list of retrieved articles was reviewed and articles which were not retrieved by previous search were hand searched. The review included original research articles that has investigated Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. of any study design. Only published original articles, any languages, any time of publish, and grey literature (Conference paper, theses both PhD. and Msc. technical report) were included. Those articles with full text not available, those without information of interest, e.g ethnopharmacology, pharmacology and phytochemistry of A. bracteolata were excluded. Despite having multiple use, the plant is mainly used in the treatment of malaria with a reported antiplasmodial activity. Aristolochic acids (AAs) were reported as the major and active ingredient among other components in the plant. The review revealed that A. bracteolata has various traditional use with promising pharmacological activity. However, information on its safety is limited.

A study on the prevalence and intensity of internal parasites in pigs under Indigenous Micro-orga... more A study on the prevalence and intensity of internal parasites in pigs under Indigenous Micro-organism (IMO) and conventional pig farming was conducted in Greater Mbarara, Uganda. The farmers kept Cambrough, Landrace and Large White cross breeds of pigs. The study was carried out in 6 farms (Katojo, Birongo, Ruti, Isingiro, Kwatotyo, Mbazardi) and adopted a cross sectional design. One hundred and forty eight (148) pigs were randomly selected irrespective of age and sex from the study area. The faecal samples from the pigs were processed for microscopic examination. The morphology and quantitative estimations of the ova, oocysts, and cysts per gram of faeces were done by applying the McMaster egg counting technique. The study established significant differences in the prevalence rates for Hyostronglyus rubidus under the two systems. Furthermore there were differences in the prevalence of Dicrocaelium spp., Trichuris suis, Hyostronglyus rubidus as well as the epg of Ascaris suum among the three age groups of pigs (piglets, growers and adults).

The prevalence of Dicrocaelium spp. in male pigs was significantly higher than for females. The overall prevalence of the endo-parasites particularly Dicrocaelium spp., Hyostronglyus rubidus and Trichuris suis as well as the epg for Ascaris suum were significantly different in the various farms and localities. Pigs of various age groups, sex and from different farms with mean epg>500 required urgent treatment against endo-parasites (Trichuris suis, Hyostronglyus rubidus) to reduce production losses. Overall, the study established that management system, the age group, farm and location were risk factors to the prevalence of worms and their egg counts in rearing of pigs in Greater Mbarara.

Key Words: breed of pigs, eggs per gram, management system, worms